Approval rates
Judge Rabaut has issued 3,447 decisions during his 10-year tenure, resulting in a lifetime approval rate of 51%. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate reached 67%, compared to the Detroit office average of 56%, the state average of 57%, and the national average of 58%. These figures provide a baseline for understanding how his courtroom has functioned historically. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
Office- and national-level breakdowns of fully favorable vs denial rates aren't currently published by SSA in the per-office disposition data. The judge's own breakdown is the detail we have today.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Rabaut's docket. Annual rates fluctuate with the mix of cases SSA assigns; the longer-run pattern is more informative than any single year.
Decision pattern
Over his 10 years on the bench, Judge Rabaut has seen his approval rates fluctuate, moving from 61% in 2016 to 47% in 2020 before reaching 50% in 2025. The data shows a period of significant volume between 2017 and 2019, followed by more varied yearly totals. While the most recent reporting period shows a higher approval rate of 67%, this is based on a sample of 11 decisions. This trend suggests that while his long-term average is stable, recent outcomes have shown variance.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Rabaut's bench. Judge-specific preparation guidance requires a corpus of public Appeals Council decisions involving each judge, which we haven't built yet.
- Bring a clean treating-physician record. Longitudinal primary-care or specialist notes spanning the disability period, with consistent symptom documentation, are typically the strongest evidence at hearing. A single month's records usually aren't enough.
- Don't rely on consultative exams alone. If your medical evidence is built primarily around a one-time CE finding, expect detailed questioning. Supplement with treating-source statements where possible.
- Prepare for daily-activity questions. Have honest, specific answers about a typical day. Answers that conflict with the medical record (in either direction) tend to hurt credibility.
- Expect transferable-skills probing. A vocational expert will usually testify about jobs available to someone with your limitations. Your representative should be prepared to cross-examine.
Hearing with Judge Rabaut? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Detroit hearing office
The Detroit Hearing Office serves applicants across Michigan and is part of a regional network managing a high volume of disability appeals. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 56% in the latest reporting period. You can expect a formal hearing process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can visit the Detroit Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge Rabaut is essentially random. Within the Detroit Hearing Office, the 6 ALJs range from 44% to 75% in their lifetime approval rates. This variance highlights that the specific judge assigned to your case can influence the process. You can find more information on the Detroit hearing office page.
Your odds change dramatically with a lawyer
SSDI hearing approval rates — represented vs. on your own
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.